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Thursday, August 28, 2014

671. Iraqi Breakfast Fried Tomato

I woke up last week-end with an intense craving for a breakfast of Iraqi fried tomatoes.
Well, we can't have that without some fried aubergines (eggplant) slices. I have some haloomi in the fridge; grill those too. And no breakfast in complete without eggs.
I served breakfast with crispy baguette slices which is not traditional, but I prefer it because it soaks up the wonderful rich tangy fried tomato sauces beautifully. Khoubiz is traditionally served.
To round off the meal, serve bowls of olives, fresh tomato wedges, sliced cucumbers, and piled fresh herbs and spring onion. This breakfast makes for a very comforting dinner too.

To make the fried tomato, cut tomatoes in large wedges or circles.
In a deep pan, melt some butter and add the tomatoes.
Saute for 2-3 minutes until sizzling, lower the heat to medium, cover the pan and let simmer for 10-15 minutes until like a puree. Season with salt to taste. Done.

To make the fried aubergines, heat enough oil to deep-fry the aubergine slices.
Cut the aubergines into circles. I prefer thinner circles (0.5 cm thick) because they crisp and cook faster.
When the oil is hot, fry the aubergine slices until crisp and golden on both sides.
Remove to a paper-towel lined plate to release from excess oil and salt lightly.
To serve, place on a plate and dollop with a yogurt-tahini mixture and fresh mint leaves.
To make the yogurt-tahini sauce, mix three tablespoons plain yogurt with a teaspoon of tahini.

To make the eggs, lightly scramble eggs in a bowl.
Melt butter over medium heat and add eggs.
Reduce heat to a medium low and stir once in a while. The eggs will cook slowly but deliciously.
Season lightly with salt and pepper as it cooks. Be careful to not over stir.

To make the grilled haloomi, generously slice the block of haloomi cheese.
Heat a dry pan over medium-high heat.
Once the pan is hot, add the cheese slices without any oil or grease.
Be careful, the cheese will brown rather quickly.
Flip to brown on both sides.

I serve the breakfast with grilled baguette slices, which is very nontraditional, but it is my favorite bread to absorb the juices of the fried tomato.
Breakfast is usually served with Iraqi bread, khoubiz, discs, bowls of olives, fresh tomato wedges, sliced cucumbers, and piled fresh herbs and spring onion.

Oh yes I do know what you mean, it's what newly weds traditionally have for breakfast with geemar and fresh honeycomb! I will test out a few recipes and if I find the best one I will be sure to put it on the blog. Thanks for your comment and take care.